The bellows pump device supplies pressurized air to one air chamber of two hermetic air chambers thereby to cause a bellows to perform expansion operation to suck a transport fluid, and supplies pressurized air to the other air chamber thereby to cause the bellows to perform contraction operation to discharge the transport fluid. The bellows pump device includes: an electropneumatic regulator configured to adjust a first air pressure of the pressurized air to be supplied to the one air chamber, and a second air pressure of the pressurized air to be supplied to the other air chamber; and a control unit configured to control the electropneumatic regulator such that, at least at a time point of end of expansion during expansion operation of the bellows, the first air pressure is lower than the second air pressure.

An electrochemically actuated pump and an electrochemical actuator for use with a pump. The pump includes one of various stroke volume multiplier configuration with the pressure of a pumping fluid assisting actuation of a driving fluid bellows. The electrochemical actuator has at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the first pump housing and at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the second pump housing. Accordingly, the electrochemical actuator selectively pressurized hydrogen gas within a driving fluid chamber.

The present invention includes an electrochemical actuator pump and method of making the same, comprising a membrane electrode assembly comprising an ion exchange membrane, a first and a second catalyzed porous electrode in contact with opposing sides of the ion exchange membrane; a first gas chamber in fluid communication with the first electrode, and a second gas chamber in fluid communication with the second electrode; and a controller for controllably reversing the polarity of a voltage source electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes, wherein the controller causes a first polarity at the first electrode to function as an anode and the second electrode to function as a cathode, wherein the first polarity simultaneously decreases the hydrogen gas pressure in the first hydrogen gas chamber and increases the hydrogen gas pressure in the second hydrogen gas chamber, with additional embodiment using MOF or Ni—H batteries.

A reciprocating fluid pump includes a pump body, a subject fluid chamber, a first plunger located within the subject fluid chamber of the pump body and having a first head portion and a first bellows, the first plunger configured to expand and compress in a reciprocating action to pump the subject fluid through the subject fluid chamber within the pump body, wherein the first head portion and the first bellows have a first cross-sectional dimension, and a second plunger located within the subject fluid chamber of the pump body and having a second head portion and a second bellows, the second plunger configured to expand and compress in a reciprocating action to pump the subject fluid through the subject fluid chamber within the pump body, wherein the second head portion and the second bellows have a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension.

A reciprocating fluid pump includes a pump body, a subject fluid chamber, a first plunger located within the subject fluid chamber of the pump body and having a first head portion and a first bellows, the first plunger configured to expand and compress in a reciprocating action to pump the subject fluid through the subject fluid chamber within the pump body, wherein the first head portion and the first bellows have a first cross-sectional dimension, and a second plunger located within the subject fluid chamber of the pump body and having a second head portion and a second bellows, the second plunger configured to expand and compress in a reciprocating action to pump the subject fluid through the subject fluid chamber within the pump body, wherein the second head portion and the second bellows have a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension.

The bellows pump device supplies pressurized air to one air chamber of two hermetic air chambers thereby to cause a bellows to perform expansion operation to suck a transport fluid, and supplies pressurized air to the other air chamber thereby to cause the bellows to perform contraction operation to discharge the transport fluid. The bellows pump device includes: an electropneumatic regulator configured to adjust a first air pressure of the pressurized air to be supplied to the one air chamber, and a second air pressure of the pressurized air to be supplied to the other air chamber; and a control unit configured to control the electropneumatic regulator such that, at least at a time point of end of expansion during expansion operation of the bellows, the first air pressure is lower than the second air pressure.

An electrochemically actuated pump and an electrochemical actuator for use with a pump. The pump includes one of various stroke volume multiplier configuration with the pressure of a pumping fluid assisting actuation of a driving fluid bellows. The electrochemical actuator has at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the first pump housing and at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the second pump housing. Accordingly, the electrochemical actuator selectively pressurized hydrogen gas within a driving fluid chamber.

A reciprocating fluid pump includes a pump body, a subject fluid chamber, a first plunger located within the subject fluid chamber of the pump body and having a first head portion and a first bellows, the first plunger configured to expand and compress in a reciprocating action to pump the subject fluid through the subject fluid chamber within the pump body, wherein the first head portion and the first bellows have a first cross-sectional dimension, and a second plunger located within the subject fluid chamber of the pump body and having a second head portion and a second bellows, the second plunger configured to expand and compress in a reciprocating action to pump the subject fluid through the subject fluid chamber within the pump body, wherein the second head portion and the second bellows have a second cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the first cross-sectional dimension.

A bellows pump device includes a control unit which, before operation of the bellows pump device is started, performs initial control in which solenoid valves are switched and pressurized air is supplied to suction-side air chambers in advance, thereby determining operation air pressures which are air pressures of the pressurized air to be supplied to the suction-side air chambers during the operation. As the initial control, the control unit outputs control commands to electropneumatic regulators so as to gradually increase the air pressures of the pressurized air to be supplied to the suction-side air chambers in advance, and when detection signals resulting from detection of expansion positions of the bellows are inputted from the proximity sensors to the control unit, the control unit determines the air pressures of the pressurized air supplied to the suction-side air chambers at that time as the operation air pressures.

A hydraulically driven diaphragm pumping machine (pump), in particular for water and difficult-to-pump materials, comprises at least two side-by-side pumping units. Each pumping unit comprises a hydraulically-driven pump cylinder (1,2) and a separate non-pump hydraulic drive cylinder (9,10). The pump cylinder (1,2) has a lower first end with a first inlet and outlet for fluid to be pumped and an upper second end with a second inlet and outlet for hydraulic fluid. The pump cylinder (1,2) contains a bellows (3,4) closed at its lower end and open at its upper end for communication with hydraulic fluid. The outside of the bellows (3,4) defines a space for fluid to be pumped. The bellows (3,4) of the pump cylinder (1,2) is arranged to be driven by hydraulic fluid supplied at its top end, in concertina like expansion and contraction to pump the fluid to be pumped adjacent the lower first end of the pump cylinder (1,2). The hydraulic drive cylinder (9,10) is placed side-by-side the pump cylinder (1,2). The hydraulic drive cylinder (9,10) has a lower first end associated with a hydraulic drive an upper second end containing hydraulic fluid communicating with the upper second end of the pump cylinder (1,2). The hydraulic drive terminates at its upper end with a drive piston (19,20) slidably mounted in the hydraulic drive cylinder (9,10). The hydraulic drives of the hydraulic drive cylinders (9,10) of the two pumping units are connected by a hydro-mechanical connection (25,27) designed to control drive of the hydraulic fluid to advance and retract the pistons (19,20) of each hydraulic drive cylinder (9,10).